Region Nine Development Commission Receives Grant from Mankato Clinic Foundation

Region Nine Development Commission (RNDC) has received a $10,000 grant from the Mankato Clinic Foundation to be used to develop more consistent routes to food access partners, expand options for the Mankato Clinic Produce Place Fridge program, and support work to begin collaboration with area landfills.

Since launching its food rescue initiative, RNDC has helped distribute a significant amount of surplus food to families across South Central Minnesota. In 2025 alone, RNDC coordinated the rescue of 109,365 pounds of food, valued at approximately $181,526, which was distributed regionwide through partner organizations. This work continues to grow in 2026, with seven food rescues completed so far, saving 8,664 pounds of food. The support from the Mankato Clinic Foundation is expected to help expand these efforts and increase the amount of food rescued and distributed throughout the region.

To learn more about RNDC’s food rescue efforts, visit https://www.rndc.org/food_rescue/.

“We are very excited to have this opportunity through the Mankato Clinic Foundation, and their team has been wonderful to work with in serving our community. RNDC participates in a partnership with Mankato Clinic for the fresh produce refrigerator program known as Produce Place, and it has turned into one of the greatest successes in our region’s food rescue efforts,” said RNDC Regional Food Rescue Coordinator Tom Polich. “With this funding, we look forward to expanding our efforts and rescue a larger variety of options for Produce Place, as well as our regional food access partners such as ECHO, SCMNFR, FOCP, and the St. Peter Food Shelf. Thank you to the Mankato Area Clinic Foundation for the generous funding to this program, as well as all the efforts they have supported in our community.”

The Mankato Clinic Foundation provides grants to organizations and initiatives that promote and improve health and wellness in the communities the clinic serves. The physicians at the Mankato Clinic provide the majority of the Foundation’s funding as a means to give back to the community and support organizations that strive to improve health and wellness.
For more information, contact Communications Manager Nate George at nate@rndc.org.